This Former Tech Executive Was Ready to Retire. Then an Obscure Molecule Gave Him a New Mission. Joel Kocher, CEO of humann, is betting on nitric oxide to change how people think about heart health.
By Jon Bier Edited by Jonathan Small
Key Takeaways
- After learning about nitric oxide, a former Dell executive decided to create humann--a supplement company
- Nitric oxide is a critical gas molecule in cardiovascular health
- Before launch, the company invested heavily in clinical trials.
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Joel Kocher thought he was done. After more than two decades in senior tech leadership—as a Fortune 500 company CEO and then seven years at Dell where he rose to become the #2 executive behind Michael Dell —he retired at 49.
But something felt off.
"I hated it," he says. "I did all the things you're 'supposed' to do—consulting, investing, coaching. None of it lit me up."
One unexpected meeting changed his entire plan. A friend invited him to sit in on a presentation at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center. Researchers there had spent years studying nitric oxide, a little-known but critical gas molecule in cardiovascular health, and wanted to bring their findings to market.
"I'd never heard of nitric oxide," Joel recalls. "But by the end of that meeting, I called my wife and said, 'We're doing this.' I didn't know what I was signing up for, but I knew I couldn't walk away."
That chance encounter launched humann, a heart health supplement brand built around nitric oxide science and is on a mission to change the trajectory of cardiovascular health in the world. Fourteen years and 8 published clinical studies later, humann has become a mission-driven company with a large consumer following.
He came on the One Day with Jon Bier podcast to talk about how he went from burnout to building again, and what he's learned from launching a science-backed company in one of the most unregulated spaces in health and wellness - the supplement category.
Success doesn't guarantee repeat success
At Dell, Kocher helped lead the company through a period of massive growth. He figured he could do it again. So when he stepped into his next role, he brought that same confidence with him. But it didn't play out the way he expected. "You learn a tough lesson," he says. "After the prolific success at Dell, I thought I had it dialed. I could do it anywhere, anytime I wanted, on command."
Now he approaches every new endeavor with fresh eyes. "Every business has its own set of challenges. And you have to figure out how to conquer them."
Related: BIZ Experiencesial Success Comes Down to Having the Right Mindset — Here's How to Make Sure You Do
Shortcuts aren't an option
Kocher knew that cutting corners might have made things easier in the short term. But from the start, he was committed to doing it the right way, telling himself, "If you're going to do this, do it the way it should be done."
That meant investing in clinical trials, hiring real scientists, and holding the company to standards most supplement brands avoid. humann has completed 8 published clinical studies brought on a Science Advisory Board that includes leading experts in the field of cardiovascular wellness, and is trusted by over 6,000 medical practitioners and professionals. Ferid Murad, MD, PhD and Nobel Laureate (1936 - 2023) was among three pharmacologists who made the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of Nitric Oxide. Dr. Murad served on humann's Science Advisory Board from 2020 until his passing in 2023.
It was slower, harder, and more expensive, but it was the only path that felt right.
Related: From Lab to Launch: Scientists 'Cook Up' the Next Big Startup
Make education part of the product
Kocher learned early on that even the best science won't sell itself. When humann ran focus groups before launch, they discovered that most consumers—and even physicians—had never heard of nitric oxide. "We did three focus groups with consumers and two with physicians… Not a single person had ever heard of nitric oxide," he says. "A couple of them thought we were talking about laughing gas."
That experience made one thing clear: before they could market a product, they had to teach people why it mattered.
Don't let bad news derail you
After the focus groups, Kocher stood under a streetlight and seriously questioned whether to move forward. With limited capital and a massive education gap, it didn't feel worth the hassle. But instead of walking away, he chose to slow down, re-strategize, and rebuild the path forward.
"I'm bullheaded as hell," he recalls. "After I stood there for 30 minutes, I said, 'Screw it. This is too important a mission. We're doing this. We're gonna figure it out.'"
